Back to Basics, What Does a Smartwatch Do?

Your one-stop guide to learning everything there is to know about what Smartwatches do.

Watch manufacturers have tried their hardest to pack more functionality into small, hand-held devices for decades. Take, for example, Hamilton’s first digital watch in 1972 or the first calculator watches from Casio and Timex. Of all the high-tech gadgets and gismos, Smartwatches are one of the biggest disrupters of the 21st century.

But what do smartwatches do, exactly? And can they change the way you live your life? Sounds a bit far-fetched, right? But when you look at commercials and marketing material around these things, that’s what companies claim they can do. How much truth is in it? This in-depth guide will tackle the question, “What does a smartwatch do?”

What Is a Smartwatch?

The first thing is first. What is a smartwatch? To keep things simple, smartwatches tell much more than just the time. These wrist-worn computers can make calls for you, inform you when you’re under too much stress, and become your personal trainer. Moreover, they can even imitate the look and feel of a traditional timepiece. TAG Heuer’s Connected series of smartwatches even gives you a choice of interfaces that mimic the brand’s most iconic designs.

The last point I made is quite an important one. And that’s because the demand for luxury smartwatches is slowly changing. Horological connoisseurs are even sitting up and paying attention to what these devices can do. In truth, they operate entirely differently from a classic wristwatch, but they’re undeniably useful. Of course, smartwatches don’t carry the allure of an authentic, hand-crafted, mechanically driven timepiece. Even so, these modern gadgets are portable devices you can wear like a watch, yet they act as miniature computers. 

In many ways, a smartwatch is an extension of your mobile phone. It syncs with your cell phone, allowing you to see, make calls, and send messages. A touchscreen characterizes these devices. They also carry a myriad of apps and perform tasks like measuring your heart rate and counting your steps. 

To understand and appreciate a smartwatch’s appeal, let’s look at how it came to be. 

A Brief History of the Smartwatch

It may surprise you to learn that the smartwatch actually debuted back in the 1970s. As mentioned earlier, Hamilton developed its Pulsar watch – the brand’s first LED prototype. Shortly after this, cutting-edge technology began to ramp up in Japan. Seiko developed the Data 2000 watch in 1983 with an external keyboard, while the Timex Datalink arrived in the early 1990s. Its ability to wirelessly download computer data proved helpful in several NASA space missions. Of course, the market was abundant in digital watches at this point. 

By the end of the 1990s, Samsung was releasing its first watch phone with an in-built speaker and microphone. This paved the way for innovations like Fossil’s Watch PDA, complete with a touchscreen and virtual keyboard. Garmin launched the Forerunner during this time, which could measure speed, pace, calories, and distance. The Microsoft SPOT could do lots of things, too! It could receive stock updates, news, and weather reports via FM radio. 

However, 2013 really shaped the future of the smartwatch. Pebble launched a groundbreaking smartwatch, leveraged by Kickstarter funding, and sold over a million units. It was an improvement over the Microsoft SPOT because it could receive information from a phone. In 2014, Google unveiled Android Wear. Ever since then, Android and Apple have been going head-to-head, competing with various add-ons that all try to enhance the smartwatch experience.  

Types of Smartwatches

I wouldn’t blame you for lumping all smartwatches into one category. For those who know little about them, many different types of smartwatches can look similar. Unfortunately, their touchscreens tend to lack the mechanical watch’s character and personality. It’s one reason why there is still such a call for the digital analog watch. But for several years, brands have tried their hardest to make their smartwatches stand out. With a plethora of functions to play around with, many manufacturers have managed to hone their watches for specific audiences.  

Take a look at the following types of smartwatches on the market. If you’re new to the field, this information will help you make an informed decision before investing in one. 

Fitness Trackers

The common Fitbit is an example of a fitness tracker smartwatch. Models like this often come with features that include accelerometers, body temperature sensors, and heart rate sensors. Some models even come with Sp02 sensors, Gyroscopes, and GPS functionality. These smartwatches appeal to active wearers who want to track their fitness and daily goals. Their small, lightweight designs are also a key advantage for athletes, cyclists, and fitness enthusiasts. 

GPS Smartwatch

Want to track your route and monitor your pace while you hike? A GPS smartwatch is probably the right smartwatch for you. These models feature a GPS chip or sensors that ensure you’ll never lose your way while exploring. One leader in the field of GPS smartwatches is Garmin. Models from the Forerunner series are great for everyday wear. They come with a suite of extensive sports training features and outdoor activity data-tracking functions. Although Garmin smartwatches aren’t cheap, they’re certainly worth the money. Garmin even equips its adventure-type smartwatches with downloadable maps and SatIQ for uncompromised accuracy. 

Cellular Smartwatches

A cellular smartwatch can work independently from your smartphone. It can perform tasks that you would typically use your phone for. These include making calls, receiving and sending texts, and using apps. Wearing this device is an easy way to connect with friends and family while traveling. It’s an ideal companion for office workers and professionals traveling on business.

What Can a Smartwatch Do?

So, we know a little about what you can use a smartwatch for and the different types available on the market. Now we can tackle the question, “What can a smartwatch do?”. Smartwatches have an array of features and functions that can assist you with daily tasks. Some brands pledge that their wrist-worn devices can enhance a person’s lifestyle. While phone-related tasks are super convenient, health-related tracking features can make you more intuitive about your body’s needs. Here are some of the key features of a smartwatch.

Tracking Health and Fitness

Being able to track health and fitness is one of the most appealing features of wearing a smartwatch. In short, they do what most fitness-tracking devices do. They can track running routes and show you how many daily steps you cover. You can see your stats in a weekly or monthly report, which provides insight into your progress. Other activity trackers are available in sports apps like hiking, biking, running, climbing, swimming, skiing, and golfing. 

The health-tracking side of the smartwatch is just as impressive. You can keep a close watch on your stress levels, sleep quality, calories burned, heart rate, and oxygen levels and use helpful hydration reminders. Female wearers can also take advantage of tracking menstrual cycles and ovulation dates.

Text and Voice Messages

It’s great that some smartwatches feature a microphone and built-in speaker. These elements allow you to make voice commands and reply to messages without using your phone. The Galaxy Smartwatch, for example, supports a pre-installed Messages app. This will enable you to create new messages, view old ones, and send replies when stuck in traffic or clocking up the air miles. 

Mobile Wallet

Many smartwatches now support contactless payment. Models like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch6 and Watch6 Classic hold your card information on your watch. When you pay for goods in a store or a meal at your favorite restaurant, your information is readily available and super secure. 

GPS

Perhaps there is no better example than Garmin when it comes to GPS. Garmin’s wearable devices use satellite GPS to stream your live current location at any given moment. The brand’s outdoor watches can track your direction of travel and record tracks, courses, and waypoints, too. Most of the brand’s wearable devices have the LiveTrack feature. This allows you to share your location in real-time, uploading data as you stay on the move.

Notifications

Typically, a smartwatch mimics your phone’s notification system. It can alert you to everything, including missed calls, messages, and emails. You can also see when you have a voicemail, listen to it, and view event reminders. Social media apps like Instagram and Facebook are a breeze to operate, too! All these functions allow you to stay connected with friends and family, no matter where in the world you are. 

How Do Smartwatches Work?

The advantages of smartwatch technology are continually expanding, many of which help bring several features into one compact place. With the ability to solve problems for the wearer, smartwatches will likely continue to surge in popularity. As of 2024, stats suggest around 224.31 million smartwatch users worldwide. But how do smartwatches work exactly? Understanding this is a big part of that conversion rate. So, here’s how they work without all the technical jargon. 

How Does a Smartwatch Let You Make a Call?

Some of the most up-to-date smartwatches, like the Garmin Fenix 8, come with in-built speakers and microphones. These enable you to take and make calls to friends and family without using your phone. The feature also allows you to make voice commands to your watch and operate it off-grid from your phone. You can view your contact list and call logs and use an in-built dial pad to take care of communications as you go. 

To complete the portable office setup, you can complement these features with a Bluetooth headset, earbuds, or a hands-free headset. Of course, the ability to view messages on your wrist is super handy. The icing on the cake is not having to dig out your phone from your pocket. 

How Do Smartwatches Track Sleep?

Smartwatches are perfect little travel buddies, and they’re also very fashionable. But they can perform other tasks, too, like sleep tracking. They do this by primarily using the gyroscope or accelerometer. These features detect movement, indicating what sleep cycle you’re in. Cleverly, the watch simultaneously tracks your heart rate, with low rates indicating a state of deep sleep. Features like Garmin’s Morning Report and Sleep Tracker feature will show you how well you slept according to these algorithms.  

How To Connect a Smartwatch to Your Phone

Some of the best smartwatches can perform and carry out tasks in a similar way to your smartphone. But to do that, you’ll need to connect them up. This is possible via Bluetooth pairing. Through pairing, you can register your watch to your phone and mutually perform tasks while they wirelessly connect. Connecting a smartwatch to your phone can be a lot easier than you think. 

Firstly, you’ll need to turn on your Bluetooth by going to your smartphone settings and clicking on the Bluetooth option. Then, turn on your Bluetooth. Click the “Search for Devices” or “Scan Devices” option. When you see your smartwatch appear on the list, select it. A code will then pop up on your screen. Check that the codes match on both devices and then select the “Pair” option to connect them. You’ve now successfully connected your smartphone and smartwatch! 

Of course, we encourage you to check Bluetooth pairing for your specific device. While the steps are generally the same, they vary across devices.

FAQs

Before shopping, fine-tune your knowledge of smartwatches even further with these FAQs. 

Does a Smartwatch Need a SIM?

No, you don’t need to put a SIM into a smartwatch. Some, like the Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, use their own in-built eSIM, while others connect to a watch via Bluetooth or WiFi. 

Is a Smartwatch the Same as an ECG Medical Electronic Device?

No, a smartwatch is not a medical device and will not operate in the same way as an ECG. It won’t pick up on cardiovascular conditions like heart disease, either. ECGs use sophisticated technology that accurately monitors the behavior of your heart. Heart rate sensors on smartwatches, however, are not as accurate.

What Is the Main Function of a Smartwatch?

Smartwatches perform several functions. Some relay notifications from your phone, measure your heart rate, steps, and calories, and track sleep and stress. You can also listen to music on a smartwatch and make contactless payments without your phone. 

Can I Leave My Phone at Home and Use My Smartwatch?

Providing your phone has a cellular network connection, you can use a smartwatch to perform phone-related tasks even when it’s out of range. At other times, you can use WiFi to send and receive data. 

What Are the Benefits of Wearing a Smartwatch?

One key benefit of owning a smartwatch is its real-time health and fitness status monitoring. Other advantages include sleep tracking, stress management, nutritional reminders, training, goal-setting apps, and GPS navigation for outdoor exploration.

Smartwatches – Are They Worth It?

So, what does a smartwatch do, and is it worth it? In a nutshell, smartwatches can significantly and positively impact your regular, daily life. These potent tools can open up infinite possibilities by enhancing our emotional and physical health. 

Today, they are, well, smarter than ever! Above all, they can help you lead a healthier lifestyle, displaying health stats and priming you for a regular training regime. They also enable you to access a broad range of apps and services, including contactless payments, sports apps, and music. Most akin to a phone, however, is the smartwatch’s ability to send and receive texts and voice messages while on the go. Some even have smart home integration features that act as a central control hub for things like hot water and heating. 

Smartwatch prices and features can vary. It all depends on what overriding feature you need most. Is it navigation you need? Fitness training, even? Or do you need a sport-specific model for skiing or golfing, for example? Hopefully, this guide outlines some of the benefits one of these compact devices can offer and the different types available. 

So many brands offer a smartwatch option within their catalog of designs. Examples include TAG Heuer, Frederique Constant, and Montblanc. But if you’re looking for cutting-edge GNSS technology for outdoor and sports activities, my advice would be to opt for a brand like Suunto or Garmin rather than Apple. Both manufacturers specialize in the latest smartwatch software and can amplify your smartwatch-wearing experience with the best technology on the market. 

Has reading this article piqued your interest in smartwatch technology? Let us know in the comments below. And don’t forget, you can sign up for our newsletter at The Slender Wrist today for similar content.